Canine Nation show

Canine Nation

Summary: Better living with our dogs through modern training methods based on behavioural science — Positvely rewarding for both you AND your dog!

Podcasts:

 The Good Dog | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 16:09

What is a “good dog?” For most people, a “good dog” is one that behaves like the ones they see on TV or in the movies. A dog that does what is expected and never does what is not wanted. A dog that conforms to our vision of what we want. But is that fair? Do we love dogs for what they are or for what we imagine they are supposed to be?

 Mean Dog People Suck – A Rant | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 18:33

Have you ever noticed all the different ways that people are mean to their dogs? No? Well, there are plenty of people out there who will tell you that you are "abusing" your dog in one way or another even if you didn't know you were doing it. Even your dog might not know they are being abused. Welcome to dog training's "new age!"

 Waiting for the Dog | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 13:40

Sometimes the most important thing we can do when we are training our dog is...nothing. How else will we find out what our dog knows if we don't stop every once and a while and see what they know? It's a lesson my own dog taught me many years ago. It has led to a delightful give and take that allows me to learn from her as she learns from me. Sometimes you just have to wait for the dog!

 The Costs of Correcting Your Dog | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 17:39

In the dog training world, "correction" has a special meaning.  What the term means depends very much on who you ask.  As I learned it, a "correction" doesn't really "correct" anything at all.  It just stops my dog from doing something I didn't want.  How does a yank on a leash or a poke in the side tell my dog anything about what I want them to do other than stop what they are currently doing?  Perhaps that lack of information can be detrimental to my dog!

 Simple Yet Profound Ways to Get Better Behaviour from Your Dog | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 13:31

Perhaps the most difficult part of changing the way we work with our dogs was changing how we think about them.  Moving to reward based training with Mark and Reward training was remarkably simple but it also gave us more than we expected.  The simple concepts behind Mark and Reward are based on science and cooperation.  And that led us to some very profound discoveries about ourselves and our dogs!

 Dog Expectations – Podcast | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 12:25

Our dogs have expectations. They may even have expectations of us that we don't know about. What if we took the time to set their expectations to help them fit in better with our lives? It's not as hard as you might think!

 Mark the Dog | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 11:05

Markers - Those little words or noises that say "Yes! That's right!" They are a great way to help our dogs learn what behaviours are we want from them. Markers provide a consistent "language" that helps us communicate with our dogs on their level. And there are some other benefits too!

 Dog Training Disconnect – Misunderstanding Science | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 14:58

Modern dog trainers like to talk about the science of behaviour and training. But sometimes concepts and how we apply them can get jumbled up when talking about them with dog owners or even other trainers. Getting the science right is important. It's important that we don't confuse ourselves as well. Do we sometimes misunderstand or misinterpret science?

 Why Is That Dog There – A Rant | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 11:36

Some people take their dogs with them everywhere they go. Some people really shouldn't take their dogs with them. Some people take their dogs with them to places and they get afraid and bite people. And then they wonder why.

 One Dog to Fit Them All | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 13:08

Wouldn't it be great if you could get a dog with all the outgoing affection of a Golden Retriever, the intensity of a Border Collie, the protection skills of a Doberman, and the lapdog size and weight of a Pomeranian? Well, yes. And no. And lots of stuff in between. The genetics of it all say that we get what we get when we breed for specific traits, physical or behavioural, and we can't change one side without affecting the other.

 Programming Dogs | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 13:50

We used to call it a “command” when we wanted our dog to offer us a behaviour. I find the parallel with issuing commands to computers very interesting. Do we have unreasonable expectations about our dogs and our training with them? Do we expect unquestioning obedience and compliance from our dogs just the same way […]

 The Shape of Modern Dog Training | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 13:06

  Some of us are shapers, some of us are prompters, some of us even use lures. No matter how you train, it’s important to show your dog the ropes s   e and try things, be sure to let that happen. It’s not about how you train, but how well you do it with […]

 Shelter Dog Heroes | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 17:27

Dogs can end up in shelters for lots of reasons, some bad, some awful, and some that couldn’t be avoided. Shelter workers have incredibly difficult jobs. They take in and care for these dogs, not knowing what is in their past or what their future may hold. And they care. That may be the hardest […]

 Over Under Dogs | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 15:08

  Is my dog “over threshold?” Is she “under threshold?” Is that good? Is that bad? Do I even know what I’m looking for? Knowing how your dog is responding to their surroundings can play a key role in whether they are learning, whether they are enjoying themselves, or want to get the heck out of […]

 Training Dogs In Your Head – A Rant | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 17:08

Sometimes all of the hashing and rehashing of this theory or approach or concept just starts to irritate me. What happened to working with the dogs to see if it works or not? We can speculate and pontificate all day long but if our dog’s behaviour says it isn’t true, then that’s what it is. […]

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